WCDO Radio News

The City of Oneonta is accepting applications for a firefighter civil service exam to be held on January 10, 2026. The application deadline is December 10, Applications can be submitted in person or by mail to the Oneonta Civil Service Commission at City Hall at 258 Main Street and the starting salary for 2026 hires is $52,000. More information is available at oneonta.ny.us.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 11-4-25

Today is Election Day, with several important local races in the Tri County Region:

The Town of Sidney has several key races this year, Incumbents Town Supervisor Eric Wilson faces a challenge from Giffen Ott, 5 candidates are seeking 2 seats on the Sidney Town Board, Incumbents Bill Heath & Frank Selleck are seeking re-election, they face challengers Andrew Hinkley, Richard DeCola & Jesse Wakeman. The Sidney Town Justice position race feature incumbents Greg McCann against challenger Jennifer Ruling

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There are Town Supervisor races locally, in Guilford it is a rematch between incumbent Sue McIntyre against Gilda Ward, in Unadilla George Denys faces a late challenge from Write In Candidate Ed Gross, in the town of Colchester, the candidates are Robert Hafele & Arthur Merrill, in the town of Oneonta, the candidates are William Rivera Jr. & Brett Holleran

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The Cities of Norwich and Oneonta will have new Mayors, in Norwich the candidates are Robert Jeffrey & Jason Miller, in Oneonta the candidates are Luisa Montanti & Dan Butterman

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In the race for Delaware County Treasurer, Ronda Williams faces Carli Pinner.

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Polls are open from 6am to 9pm today, more information is available at your County Board of Elections Website.

Former Broome County Family Court Judge Richard Miller was ordered to pay 200 thousand dollars to his former secretary for sexual harassment. A Federal Court Jury awarded the damages to Rachel Gallagher, who had claimed that Miller created a hostile work environment, which included tricking them into seeing nude photos and crude descriptions of sexual acts and the repeated demands that Gallagher perform sexual acts with him. The suit also claimed that Miller would threaten the plaintiffs with physical harm or death if they betrayed him. Miller was removed from the bench in 2020.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the application for the Excelsior Scholarship for new applicants for the Spring 2024 term is now open. Students from households with federal adjusted gross incomes up to $125,000 are eligible, Students must Plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY two- or four-year college; Complete 30 credits per year towards their program of study and must be on track to graduate with an associate degree in two years or a bachelor's degree in four years. more information is available at webapps.hesc.ny.gov, Applications will be accepted through February 2, 2024.

A.M. NEWS TUESDAY 12-19-23

Otsego County Officials announced that several roads are closed due to flooding conditions, including County Highway 48 between Chamberlain Hill and Downey Road Spur in Otego, County Highway 4 between Mill Street and Hilton Street in the Town of Butternuts, Miller Road in Pittsfield, Bemis Road from State Highway 51 to Pegg Road in Morris. In Delaware County, State Route 30 in Roxbury has flooding issues, officals in all around counties advise motorists to turn around if they find flooded roads & report them to authorites as soon as possible. Motorists can check 511ny.org for road closures.

The Otsego County Sheriff's Office held a public meeting Monday afternoon, Investigators announced that the occupant of 18 Richards Avenue, 60-year-old Desmond Moan, allegedly fired a gun inside his home severing a gas line. NYSEG was called to 24 Richards Avenue around 8 am Saturday after a report of the smell of gas, that was followed by another report at 14 Richards Ave for a similar issue, then 18 Richards Avenue exploded, the technician was uninjured. The Town of Oneonta code enforcement office has waived fees for building permits for those whose homes were damaged in the blast.

The Delaware County Sheriff's Office arrested 38 year old Richard Santiago of Masonville on a bench warrant, issued by the Village of Sidney. Deputies responded to Delaware County Correctional Facility where Richard Santiago was being arraigned on a separate charge. Deputies subsequently arrested 38-year-old Santiago on two active bench warrants issued by the Village of Sidney Court. Santiago was arraigned at Delaware County Central Arraignment Court, released on his own recognizance, and directed to appear in the Village of Sidney Court at a later date to answer for the charges.

Otsego County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Oneonta Job Corps on December 10th, where they located a male subject being restrained by security. 20-year-old Richard Polimeni assaulted another man with a barbell weight while working out in the gym, he was arrested for Attempted Assault & Criminal Possession of a Weapon and was being held at the Otsego County Jail pending court action .

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce's annual State of The State Networking Breakfast will be held this morning at SUNY Oneonta's Morris Hall, from 8:00 to 11:00 AM. Legislators scheduled to participate are Assemblymen Brian Miller & Chris Tague, Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek, among others.

In Delaware County, there is an election for County Judge between current District Attorney John Hubbard on the Republican line & for the Democrats, Andrew Van Buren. Hubbard told WCDO News that one of the changes he would like to enact, if elected, would be better communication between the County & Local Courts:

(John Hubbard 11-7-22)

Van Buren told WCDO News that people should be aware that the judge will have to follow the rule of law, whether they approve of the law or not:

(Andrew Van Buren 11-7-22)

The winner replaces Richard Northrup, who has decided to retire after many years of service on the bench & in the District Attorney's office.

Local Area Voters will be deciding on who they should send to Albany in the State Senate & State Assembly. In 51st State Senate District, Incumbent Peter Oberacker faces Democratic Challenger Eric Ball. In State Assembly District 121, incumbent Republican Joe Angelino is unopposed. The new 101st District covers Otego, Laurens, Morris, & Franklin locally, the candidates are Democrat Matthew Mackey & Republican Brian Maher, in the new 122nd District, covering Oneonta, Milford, Hartwick, Burlington, & New Lisbon locally, Democrat Dan Butterman, Republican Brian Miller & Working Families Party candidate Colton Mennig are running for the seat.

The State Commission on Judicial
Conduct has suggested the removal from duty of Broome County Family Court Judge
Richard Miller.  Miller is accused of
making sexist & demeaning remarks to female staff members, and for failing
to report income and pay sufficient taxes.
Judge Miller may accept the recommendations & resign, or he may
request a review by the State Court of Appeals.

Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig announced that Oneonta Attorney
Donald Schwartz has been appointed a part time City Judge.  Schwartz fills the position vacated by the
retirement of Judge Richard McVinney, he was sworn in by Mayor Herzig Monday
afternoon.

Delhi Telephone Company is expanding broadband services into
previously unserved or underserved areas, with Internet, Cable TV including HD
& DVR & phone services.  Jason
Miller of DTC explains:

(Jason Miller 7-9-19)

Miller said that DTC
Representatives will be hosting a Meet & Greet with the Sidney center Fire
Department Saturday from 11:00 to 2:00 PM, as their services are available in
Sidney Center.

State Police arrested 36 year old Joshua Brown of West
Monroe, for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Driving While
Ability Impaired by Drugs. Troopers responded to County Road 32 in the town of
North Norwich for a 1-car accident, they located the vehicle in a corn field
with Brown behind the wheel.  Brown was
transported to Chenango Memorial Hospital for an evaluation.  An investigation yielded suspected
concentrated cannabis, LSD, mushrooms and Marihuana wax.  Brown was arraigned in the town of Norwich
court and remanded to the Chenango County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000
property bond.

a family of 4 escaped a fire in New Berlin, but lost all of
their belongings early Tuesday morning.
the fire at the Richard Miller family residence was reported at about
1:30 AM Tuesday, The fire was fully involved when fire fighters from New
Berlin, Morris and South New Berlin responded, and no injuries were reported.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin held a joint news conference Wednesday afternoon in Dannemora, detailing the ways in which Vermont authorities are working to prepare in case David Sweat and Richard Matt headed there. David Sweat and Richard Matt escaped from the maximum-security prison Saturday, by drilling through a steel wall, crawled through a pipe and then escaped through a manhole cover outside, & they may have had help from a prison employee, Joyce Mitchell, according to State Police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico:

(D'Amico 1)

Sweat and Matt are still at large, & a $100,000 reward has been offered for information leading to their capture, Superintendent D'Amico urged the public to not take the law into their own hands:

(D'Amico 2)

Sweat was in prison for the 2002 murder of Broome County deputy Kevin Tarsia; Matt was in prison for Kidnapping & murder in Niagara County.

The Mayor Miller Memorial Task Force will hold their next meeting in Oneonta today. The task force was put together to recommend a way to memorialize former Oneonta Mayor Dick Miller, the meeting will be held at 5:00 PM at Oneonta City Hall today.

The Oneonta common council has appointed council members Mike Lynch & Larry Malone to co-chair the Mayor Richard Miller Memorial Task force. Both will be responsible for forwarding recommendations on how the city of Oneonta will honor Mayor Miller, who died last year nomination from the public can be emailed to dkendall@oneonta.ny.us, or may be mailed to Oneonta City Clerk Doug Kendall at 258 Main Street Oneonta 13820.

A memorial service will be held this Sunday in Oneonta for mayor Richard Miller, who died from a self inflicted gunshot wound Saturday in his Oneonta home. Oneonta City Attorney David Merzig commented about mayor miller:

(David Merzig 10-31-14)

The memorial service will be held at the foothills performing Arts center starting at 4:00 PM Sunday.

Oneonta city officials held a press conference this morning at City hall, regarding the death of Mayor Richard Miller Saturday morning. Oneonta Police Chief Dennis Nayor comments:

(Oneonta Police chief Dennis Nayor 10-27-14)

Oneonta city manager Martin Murphy also commented:

(Martin Murphy 10-27-14)

Murphy said that a grief counselor is available for city employees, previous scheduled meetings will continue, where appropriate. Russ Southard will operate as Mayor until the Common Council reaches a decision on Millers replacement

The City of Oneonta and its Common Council reported that Mayor Richard Miller died Saturday morning at 10:25 AM in his home. Miller served as Mayor of Oneonta since 2009, before that he served as President of Hartwick College in Oneonta. Otsego County Coroner James Hurley’s report stated that Miller died from a self-inflict gun shot wound.

State police located stolen property from a Pennsylvania burglary in Binghamton; troopers arrested 21-year-old Dana Miller of Binghamton for criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession weapon and unlawful possession of marihuana, for allegedly possessing an illegal dagger and small amount of marihuana.  Troopers also arrested 24-year-old Jeremy Rogers of Binghamton and 55-year-old Ricky Spencer of Binghamton for 1st degree Burglary.  The investigation also determined that Rogers and Spencer had allegedly burglarized a residence in Windsor earlier this month.  All three suspects were arraigned at the Binghamton town court and remanded to the Broome County Jail.  The investigation is ongoing.

Congressman Richard Hanna urged the National weather Service to work to utilize funds to keep stream gages on in New York State, particularly in the Southern Tier. The US Geological Survey has identified 14 gauges that are in jeopardy of shutting down operations on November 1st. In a letter sent to the  NOAA, Hanna joined with New York’s senators and Members of Congress to request that the gages continue to operate.

Oneonta homeowner Frank Monaco will discuss the Home Performance with Energy Star Program today at 12 Shepherd Avenue in Oneonta.  Monaco will be joined at 11:00 am, by Oneonta Mayor Richard Miller, Assemblyman Bill Magee, area contractors, and Oneonta common council members regarding the program’s benefits to local property owners and contractors.  Interested participants will be able to sign up for the program at the event.

Oneonta homeowner Frank Monaco will discuss the Home Performance with Energy Star® Program tomorrow at 12 Shepherd Avenue in Oneonta.  Monaco will be joined tomorrow at 11:00 am, by Oneonta Mayor Richard Miller, Assemblyman Bill Magee, area contractors, and Oneonta common council members regarding the program’s benefits to local property owners and contractors.  Interested participants will be able to sign up for the program at the event.